Bloodlines of Fire: Moonwood
by Lessiehanamoray
Summary: When Artemis Entreri has been following Jarlaxle around for over a year, and now it's Jarlaxle's turn. Entreri needs to go to the Moonwood, he doesn't know why, but he knows he has to. Revamped from the original!
1. Part 1: Someone Else's Turn

**Bloodlines of Fire: Moonwood**

Disclaimer: The recognizable characters appearing in this story are © Wizards of the Coast, Inc., all rights reserved. They are used without permission and for entertainment purposes only. No profit is being made by the author for writing this story. No infringement upon nor challenge to the rights of the copyright holders is intended; nor should any be inferred

Author's Note: This is a revamp of the original and I tried to include elements from the later books, but at the time I originally developed this plot I had only just read as far as "Empty Joys".

Part 1: Someone Else's Turn

_Jarlaxle continues to be a thorn in my side, but right now I feel it all the more strongly. He simply informs me of where we are going, and expects me to follow him blindly. I do not know why I let him put his hands over my eyes, and then lead me ever onward. Allowing people to control my life has never been in my nature, and yet it is a liberty that I seem to give him. _

_I follow him around. I protect him, and I have yet to even see some money coming my way for the pains I have suffered for his entertainment; and I am certain that all of this has been for his entertainment. I doubt it even occurs to him that I do not appreciate this behavior. He does not purposefully harm me, or others (most of the time), but he doesn't need to. That one attracts trouble more than gold attracts a dragon, and mithral a dwarf. Why do I feel like the one who has been turned into the gold or the mithral while he watches from a safe distance? _

_No, not safe; he'll fight alongside me until the very end, but I cannot shake the sense, and it is often the reality, that when my darkest hour comes he will not be there for me. He will throw me in front of the dragon's maw, and then use it as a distraction to sneak away. I like to think that I am a particularly valuable magical item to him at least, although I recognize that he probably considers that ridiculous hat of his more precious, and I do not think he will simply expend me for small gain, only when the situation is truly dire. _

_It does seem that he enjoys my company (his target of teasing), and I must admit that his childlike curiosity of the surface is giving me a new set of eyes through which to see my world. His view is still greatly jaded, but to him everything is fresh and there is something invigorating to that viewpoint. It is similar to looking through the eyes of a child…_

_It is a strange partnership, but one that seems determined to last. I have let him throw me in the way of dragons, of liches, his fellow drow, and he has stayed. It seems that the final test will be what is coming next. He has dragged me all across Toril, and now it is my turn. _

_I have to get there; I have to get to the Moonwood. I do not know why, but I have to. It worries me though, for I fear that something is being set in motion, quite possibly something I cannot control…something I may not come back from. _

_I cannot decide to simply leave Jarlaxle, because all of these senses I have honed tell me that we are both in grave danger, and even I am wise enough to recognize the use of allies. _

_~Artemis Entreri_


	2. Chapter 1: Needs

Chapter 1: Needs

His white hair fell over his shoulders, and glimmered like freshly fallen snow…very freshly fallen snow. His skin nearly matched it, a pale tone that only an albino or a moon elf could hold naturally. His dark green eyes betrayed it to be the latter reason, and their five golden flecks, identical in each eyes, glimmered with anticipation. He forced his breathing to steady, reminding himself that he had a long fight ahead of him.

The young moon elf sat tensely upon a throne of obsidian. The light seemed absorbed within its very surface, and yet he still gleamed. He took another steadying breath. Dusk had fallen in the land outside, and he did not doubt that she would be to see him soon.

His eyes darted to the exits once more, making sure that they were clear. He could only pray that she would understand his need for a break, and that she would accept the responsibility of holding his position while he went off adventuring. In a society of assassins it was hard to find anyone whom you could trust, but he trusted her…at least as long as she didn't get too angry or too hungry.

The great black double-doors before him opened easily as she strode in. White hair that still showed a tint of red hung in a loose pony tail and was flung easily over one shoulder. Her skin looked as though it had once been dark, but now it was simply a very light brown. She was dressed entirely in black, and her leather armor was of a clearly fine make. Her eyes were a feral brown, and undeniably haughty.

"What do you want, Aramil?" she inquired in an irritated tone.

He cringed. It would not help his case if she were already in a foul mood. "Nova," he started gently, "you know perfectly well that it is you I trust above all others here." She nodded, seeming to soften under his kind words. "I want you to know that it is only because of that trust that I ask this of you."

"What do you want?" She no longer seemed angry, but tired.

"Are you alright?" he asked, truly concerned. "I would not…"

"Do not worry about it, Aramil," Nova scolded, but a smile now graced her face. She had forgotten why she so enjoyed being with him. It was the very things which made him sometimes childish that she loved about him. It still amazed her that he had such the capacity to love and to truly care about another person.

"As long as you a truly well: Nova, I want you to take over my responsibilities for a short amount of time." He was impressed, she had let him finish the sentence…his good luck did not hold more than a second after that.

"You want me to what?" she asked incredulously.

"I want you to take over my responsibilities for a while." Her eyes had narrowed, decidedly not a good sign. "You are the only one I trust to do this, and I need the break!"

He supposed he should have been happy as the doors slammed behind her; he still had his head after all. Somehow though, the fact that she had not even graced him with words hurt more than anything else she could have done. It made him feel small, and he began to wonder if he would ever be able to truly help and affect anyone's life.

* * *

The deep sigh of contentment was warning one, the garish hat coming off of the head was warning two, and the big grin that spread across the drow's entire face was warning three. Artemis Entreri tried to forget how pathetic it really was that he knew all of the signs by now.

"Is not it an absolutely beautiful, marvelous, and wonderful day?"

Entreri glared at his companion, but had to retract it quickly. Why did the sun have to shine on Jarlaxle? The last thing he needed was for his colors to look brighter than they really were. Not only did Jarlaxle's cloak seem rather indecisive as far as what color it wanted to be that day, and thus flashing, but the drow himself had seemed rather indecisive. Jarlaxle's hat was its usual green with a purple feather, his shirt (which he was wearing to avoid repeating a rather nasty sunburn incident) was orange, and his vest seemed to be a bright red. The drow's trousers seemed to be a lime green, and the boots were made of some sort of lizard skin, some sort of red lizard skin. Just for wearing that hideous ensemble, and the gold jewelry did only make it worse, Entreri was determined to make Jarlaxle's day at least as miserable as Jarlaxle had made his.

"Are you even aware that we have less than a day's worth of rations left?" he snapped. Entreri hadn't known that you could deliberately put a hat back on your head before spontaneous laughter, but somehow Jarlaxle managed it.

"My friend, are you really always this…dull?"

"Have I been disappointing you?"

Jarlaxle let out a sigh which, as usual, was overdone. "I am afraid, my friend, that there are times when you seem rather….standard issue."

"Then why do you stay with me?"

"I stay with you for those times when a bit of you escapes that hard shell you seem so fond of keeping upon your person. Truly, you are fascinating, and full of potential!"

"And the more I look at that ridiculous outfit of yours the more I think that what I am really full of his bile."

"Is it really so bad?" Jarlaxle asked, seeming honestly surprised.

"Jarlaxle, you could blind a particularly vision impaired bat on a cloudy and moonless evening."

His companion gave a pout. "I do not think it so bad."

Entreri just shook his head, not particularly wanting to deal with the ridiculousness of it all at that particular moment.

"Tell me, why are going this way?"

There it was the question Entreri had been dreading having to answer. If Jarlaxle had asked where they were headed it would have been a relatively simple answer, but the question of why was one Entreri was still trying to figure out for himself.

"I wanted to head north," he replied curtly.

"If you had merely wanted to head north we could have gone to Vaasa and Damara, but instead we have circumvented the great desert. Where are we headed?"

"I want to go to the Moonwood." There, he had said it…and he still did not know why it was true. The only thing he could think was that Aramil had…but that had been so long ago that it did not seem possible.

"Why the Moonwood?"

Jarlaxle sounded extremely suspicious, but Entreri decided it was not a question he was in the mood to answer just then, and so they rode in silence…it was the unspoken agreement between them. They did not press each other too hard on motives; no matter how determined they were to find out.


	3. Chapter 2: Impossibilities

Chapter 2: Impossibilities

Aramil Galaedon felt a sort of tremor within his very gut. This was terribly, terribly wrong.

The beautiful elven maiden sat with her back facing him, but he knew that a serene smile was upon her face. She had stopped someone she deemed too young from leaving the haven of the Moonwood, and now she rested easily. Her conscience was clear, and that was why he hated her so much.

If she had truly cared about his plight, then maybe he could forgive her. A tear fell down his face. Logically he knew that she had done this simply for his protection, but Aramil Galaedon had never truly been guided by logic before. His father was in danger, he was sure of it, and so he was going to help. She had said that she would send word, but he did not believe her. These elves did not care for the strange drow-blooded elf that had lived with them for so long, but Aramil did.

That drow-blooded elf had been his foster father, and the fact that he was also the one that had killed Aramil's parents did not matter. Trildarth had taken care of him and that was all that really mattered.

He spent a moment listening to the world around him. It all seemed a mockery now, and the owl hooting in the distance was asking, in entire indifference, who Aramil Galaedon really was. The gentle breeze through the trees seemed to be telling him to stay underneath the boughs of the Moonwood, where everything was calm and peaceful. How could he leave this place?

Aramil nearly gave into his desires then. He wanted to stay, but he needed to rescue his father. The young elf forced memories of Trildarth into his mind, reminded himself of the good times and reminded himself that there really was nothing for him without that relationship.

He would miss his lover, and he would miss his home. With sudden courage Aramil accepted that, and he came forward. Before he could lose faith in his decision, before he could allow himself to think through the consequences any longer, Aramil Galaedon completed his first assassination. It was clean, and she only barely had time to open her eyes before she fell to the floor.

For a moment it seemed as though all he could see was the blood on the edge of his sword. He felt dizzy, and adrenaline rushed through him. The blood began to pool around the edge of his feet, and the true severity of what he had just done finally came. Aramil barely turned away before he retched. The adrenaline of just moments ago had been replaced by sickness, and deep sorrow.

A great loneliness engulfed him. He now had no blood family, but he did have Trildarth. New resolve filled him and, standing just a little straighter, Aramil Galaedon left the Moonwood. He did not look back. The last thing the young elf needed was to be reminded that he was leaving it for the first time, and probably the last time all at once. He simply wished a quick and silent goodbye to his lover, and really she and his father were all that he had ever needed.

* * *

Evening was falling and the two companions had decided to stop a little early. Jarlaxle had said he wanted to watch the sunset, but Artemis Entreri highly doubted that to be the motive. True enough Jarlaxle started talking the moment they sat down to dinner. At first it was all the normal things, and then…

"You still have not answered my question."

"I am not going to answer your question," Entreri responded sourly back.

"You are taking me along without saying anything," Jarlaxle noted in a patronizing tone. Even he was caught by surprise when Entreri broke out in mirthless laughter.

"You chose to come with me," the human noted, "and you have always dragged me along without so much as a word. It is my turn."

"Your turn?" Jarlaxle asked, a curious look crossing his angular face.

"Jarlaxle, do you truly expect me to follow you like some gentle lamb? Besides, if you can get me exiled from my homeland and drag me across the continent than I can take you to a forest."

"An elven forest and one too close to old enemies for comfort."

Entreri suddenly understood Jarlaxle's true concern and shook his head. "This has nothing to do with Do'Urden or the halfling." He looked to the north. "Does that settle your fears?"

"That is all you will simply tell me," Jarlaxle pouted.

"Yes."

The drow looked to their small fire. "I do not suppose you could fetch us a rabbit, my..."

"...do not say it..."

"...friend."

"Why do you insist on calling me that?"

"Is it so bad when it is true?"

Entreri glared at Jarlaxle, incredulous and angry. "Is it true?"

"What do you mean, is it true?"

"It is a simple question, Jarlaxle."

"As is the question of why you wish us to go to the Moonwood!" Jarlaxle exclaimed.

Entreri stood up. "If you want rabbit then I will find you rabbit," he stated simply before walking into the shadows. Jarlaxle sighed.

Entreri had been notably grumpier as of late and Jarlaxle could not help but wonder what was causing it. True enough the man was never exactly a beacon of sunshine but the clouds constantly over his head had begun to rain. The drow leaned back and examined the stars as they began to show, marveling at how much light could always be found upon the surface world.

The fire seemed to be dying down and Jarlaxle prodded it to keep it ready for the rabbit. The flames danced in a way that was far more playful than the flames of a priestess's brazier and it had never occurred to him how much flame represented the emotion of a place. The flames grew just a little brighter.

"Are you simply going to stare into the fire all evening or are you going to help me prepare dinner?" Entreri asked gruffly as he stepped into their camp.

Jarlaxle looked up, startled and looked down to the flames again. They had not died down back to their previous level and seemed excited. Entreri sat down across from him and began preparing the rabbit.

"It would appear that the flames await a feast," the drow commented. Entreri looked at the dancing fire and his look seemed strange to his perceptive companion, but Jarlaxle could not quite place it. "After days of trail rations a fresh rabbit seems a feast!"

"You have an item which could provide us with a literal feast," Entreri muttered.

"Ah, but it does not seem appropriate!" Jarlaxle flung his hands up to the sky as though to catch the stars. "This landscape does not call for a feast but for a simple meal over a campfire."

"You are far too poetic," his human companion criticized.

"Better poetic than bland!"

Entreri set the rabbit over the fire. "You are too easily excited."

"Perhaps, but it is too difficult with you."

Entreri leaned back, resting much of his weight on his palms. He looked calm and it occurred to Jarlaxle that the man was more in his element in the wilderness than in the city. Calmness suited Artemis Entreri and the only thing which would have matched him better would have been still and burning sands.

The two companions sat in silence as the rabbit cooked, Jarlaxle fidgeting from time to time in quiet discomfort, or giving a slight jump when the fire gave a sudden pop. It made Entreri smirk slightly, but he resisted any urge he might have had to say something to the drow. It seemed like he might actually manage a quiet evening, but once Jarlaxle had eaten his fill Entreri quickly saw how futile that hope had been.

"You are a surprisingly good cook, but I find that you use too many spices." There was a short pause, very short, as Jarlaxle waited to see if Entreri would respond. "It is interesting that here rabbit is the primary travelling meat while in the underdark we often eat bats, and in that case raw. I must say that the common use of fire improves a meal considerably, although your food is almost always burnt."

"Then cook it yourself," came the bored response.

"But I am the guest!"

"Pest," Entreri corrected, now actually looking his companion in the eye.

"A pest of a guest?" Jarlaxle offered almost hopefully.

"Whatever you may be, worth the trouble is clearly not on the list."

"Ah, but you must keep me around for some reason or other."

"I would wager that it is simply because you are impossible to get away from."

Jarlaxle laughed, caught his breath, and opened his mouth again. Entreri groaned, marveling at how impossible it was to have a quiet evening with his companion.


	4. Chapter 3: Blending Memory

**Chapter 3: Blending Memory**

The jaws of mithral threatened to close all around him. Aramil Galaedon jogged backwards to avoid teeth as long as his legs and sharp as the words of dueling nobles. The metallic dragon roared its frustration and prepared, thank Mask, to breathe on him.

He dove forward in a fashion that all adventuring rogue types learned and came up under the dragon as melted mithral spewed all around where he had bee, melting rock upon contact. Aramil could hear it spit and spew as it cooled.

Aramil slashed up with Charon's Claw, not actually sure if he wanted to break open the hard casing to the melted mithral. What he wanted did not matter as hardly even a scratch appeared upon the dragon's smooth surface. The dragon began to stand on its hind legs, to rear up so it could get him with powerful front claws. Suddenly it stopped, a green glow surrounding it in a bright aura. Aramil ran while he had the chance.

"Having some problems?" a fine female voice inquired. He could hear the smirk. Aramil glanced to see Nova standing beside a drow female, a rather transparent drow female. They seemed to be holding hands, and the green glow was coming from that.

"I fear that unlike you and your companion I am mortal and find the idea of being encased in mithral a rather painful proposition."

"It would not hurt long," Nova quipped.

Aramil groaned as he ran up to her. He looked to the drow. "And how do you fare, Lady Wraith?"

"We need to find another way to bind the creature, before I fade away," she responded, sounding weaker than usual as her voice faded in and out.

Silver fire joined the green glow surrounding the dragon, silver fire from multiple sides. Aramil wanted to hide now, truly wanted to disappear. "And how are ye, lad?" Aramil slowly turned his head to look at the Old Mage who had called to him, then towards the opposite side where Alustriel stood.

"Can you hold it?" Nova called out.

"Aye, lass!" the Old Mage responded. Nova and Wraith released hands, both clearly pleased to no longer be channeling positive energy.

Nova came up to Aramil, her cold eyes sparkling. "I was looking forward to my mithral present."

"You will get your present when the dwarves come back," Aramil responded.

Nova's smile vanished. "Aramil," she said softly, "the dwarves will not be able to return."

"Many families did not leave," he pointed out, confused.

Nova looked away as she muttered, "They will need to be dispatched."

"Dispatched?"

She looked to him now, red tears in the corner of her eyes. "This creature must remain secret."

"And how do expect the other dwarves to not return?"

"Alustriel and Elminster will deal with that."

Aramil pressed on in his argument, desperate to help the dwarves. "People will notice…"

"…the dwarves kept this place well hidden from most."

"A dragon is a hard thing to miss."

"Shadow has a brother."

Aramil stared at her for a moment. "Please tell me that this is all a very bad dream."

She shook her head. "Aramil, you need to help me clear the Hall."

"They are innocent, Nova! Some of them are even children."

"You are supposed to be the Assassin Lord," she retorted.

Aramil stood wavering for a moment and closed his eyes. "Alright, but let's make it quick." His mind went blank in preparation for the grisly work; thinking would not be a part of this, just blood.

* * *

Artemis Entreri's eyes snapped open. He felt in a panic and glanced around for Jarlaxle. The drow stood on the edge of the camp, thankfully looking away. Entreri forced his breathing to steady and flexed his hands. He had had the strangest dream, a dream of a strange dragon. He sat up and Jarlaxle turned at the sound. It was only then, as he saw the glow of his companion's eye, that Entreri realized the fire had been allowed to burn down.

"Having trouble?" Jarlaxle joked.

Entreri looked up to the sky. "It is well past midnight."

"You were not getting the best of sleep."

Entreri turned sharply to his companion. "Normally you complain that I seem to sleep too soundly."

"You were making a racket."

"I spoke in my sleep?"

"Just mutterings, my friend, though I do wish I could get you so vocal in your waking hours."

"And what did I mutter?"

For the first time Jarlaxle looked truly confused. It was not like Artemis Entreri to lose any control of himself and the idea that a dream would unhinge him was both worrisome and intriguing. "It was not a language I am well versed in," he admitted. "It sounded like a form of Alzheado."

Entreri covered his face with his hands. He muttered something, but Jarlaxle could not quite pick out the word.

Jarlaxle came over to him. "Are you alright, my abbil?"

Entreri looked at him, suddenly disconcerted by the glowing red eye. "Can you take off your eye patch?"

"What? You want me to take off my wonderful and amazing eye patch? Why?"

"As much as your theatrics and drama can be amusing, Jarlaxle, it seems a far simpler request than you give it credit for."

"Ah, but nothing is simple with me, is it?"

"Is it with anyone?" Entreri muttered. He looked around carefully. "I should get to my watch if we want to leave early. You will need to be well-rested."

"I think you overestimate the time I need to actually rest, and I am quite fine for the time being. You are the one having the nightmares."

"They are not nightmares."

"Then what are they?" Jarlaxle demanded. He was now kneeling so he and Entreri were truly eye level. His red eye pierced through Entreri's very mind. He had never known Jarlaxle to be so persuasive, but somehow when he truly wanted to know and was tired of the games he was actually very intimidating.

"Jarlaxle, this is none of your concern." He knew immediately the argument he was up against, and knew that he was unlikely to win.

"It is my concern if you are too exhausted to battle at your best."

"Against the foes we face here there is hardly any need to be at my best."

"There are giants who wander this land," Jarlaxle said in mockery of the heroic bard. "Now, tell me what the problem is and how I can help."

"Give me an hour or two more of sleep and I will be just fine."

"This is not the first evening you have not rested well. What is troubling you?"

Entreri thought it was amazing how quickly Jarlaxle had moved from intimidation to concern. "I don't know," he finally admitted, "but I think I will find my answers in the Moonwood."

"What sort of answers? It is better if I have some idea of what we seek."

"You act so innocent and yet I can see the mischievous glint in your eye."

Jarlaxle laughed. "And look who is being poetic! Perhaps lack of sleep is almost good for you."

"It is not lack of sleep; it is lack of good sleep."

"I understand, my abbil, and will wake you when dawn approaches." He went back to where he had been keeping watch and Entreri slumped back into his bed roll. Jarlaxle was amazed at how quickly his human companion went back to sleep, and intrigued by what lay ahead. Despite his generally paranoid nature he had a certain amount of faith in Entreri and, if nothing else, knew that they played by the same rules.

"Jarlaxle," he heard Entreri mumble. He turned to regard his companion and realized that the man was falling into another fitful slumber, but he seemed to be trying to project. The mumblings continued for a while longer, but while Jarlaxle could hear them clearly they had fallen back into that language he did not know. Jarlaxle greeted the dawn with a headache and was feeling rather vindictive towards Entreri by the time the man came up to him.

"Do you feel better now?" Jarlaxle asked.

"A couple of hours helped a lot," Entreri admitted. "Are you sure you'll be fine with no rest?"

"For one evening I should be fine."

"Perhaps I should take first watch this evening."

"Perhaps, but I would rather if you prepared breakfast."

Entreri nodded and moved over to get a fire going again while Jarlaxle mused. He did not realize how long he was at it until his companion called that it was done. Jarlaxle sat across the human and began to eat the stew slowly, his mind still wandering.

"Alright," Entreri said after a couple of moments, "what's wrong?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You are never this quiet."

Jarlaxle put down his stew. "You were mumbling in your sleep."

"Did I have anything interesting to say?"

"What other languages do you speak?"

"Jarlaxle, you know how horrible I am at learning new languages."

"That is why I am concerned."

"Jarlaxle, I don't remember what I was saying or even what I was dreaming so stop asking me about it."

"What if I repeated some of it to you? Could you understand it then?"

"It could have just been gibberish," Entreri pointed out.

Jarlaxle shook his head. "I know language, and you were speaking in a language."

Entreri continued eating; now ignoring his companion as Jarlaxle began to talk about the complexity of language. Still, it left a pleasant hum in his ears and made everything feel normal. Jarlaxle seemed strangely aware that he needed normalcy and kept talking as they took down camp and began to continue their long walk.

* * *

Callahan sat perched on a windowsill, his fine white hair falling across his shoulders.

"Callahan, it's time for bed!" his father called, coming into his room with a smile. His hair was raven black and his eyes were the vivid green common to moon elves. "Are you planning to stare at Sehanine's moon all evening?" he asked as he came up to his son.

"I was admiring the shadows the trees cast," Callahan responded in his musical tones.

"What of the glow upon the ground?"

"The shadows are truer."

"Sehanine is about casting light in the darkness of the future," his father began.

"Thus are the shadows of our doubt created, but from the shadows if you look hard enough you can see both the darkness and the light."

"I worry about you sometimes." His father sat down beside him. "Sometimes you are too like your mother."

Callahan's ears perked up at that. "How am I like my mother?"

"I loved her for her ability to question everything, as well as her love of flitting from shadow to shadow but," his face fell, "that does not make for a romance to last. She hated being pregnant with you, but knew my desire for a child. She stayed just long enough to give you to me. Those were happy days, Callahan, but the sting of losing her was not worth it."

"It gave you me," reminded Callahan.

"And now you desire to leave and ask questions about those best forgotten. I say again, you are too like your mother."

"Perhaps my curiosity would be sated if you would just tell me. I am old enough for the truth."

"As I said, there are things best forgotten."

"Father, tell me about Aramil Galaedon."

His father stood, staring angrily down at him. "You need to cease asking about him. It reflects poorly upon the both of us."

"Yes, General."

"Callahan, please refrain from using my title out of context."

"Yes, sir."

"Callahan, I hate when you do this."

"And I hate when you start talking about how important your reputation is."

Another elf burst through the door. "General Silverbow1, the priestess of Sehanine demands to speak with you!"

"I will be right there!" Callahan's father stood and gave his son one last, long look. "Please, Callahan, do not cause me that pain that your mother caused."

Callahan made no reply, just turned to stare out the window again. The shadows seemed more alive than the rest of the forest.


	5. Chapter 4: Companions

**Chapter 4: Companions**

Aramil anxiously paced the docks, waiting for the ship to arrive and feeling his heart flutter faster as every moment passed. A gargantuan shark had been spotted attacking a ship earlier, and Aramil feared that it had been the ship he now waited for.

A ship began to pull into the harbor, badly damaged but, somehow, surviving. Aramil looked to the rigging to see exactly the person he had been hoping for balanced carefully on one of the wooden beams. He was soaking wet, but he was alive.

Aramil ran to greet him as the ship docked. His apprentice was one of the last ones off the ship, moving slowly and stiffly.

"You look horrible," the elf remarked as he wrapped his gave his cloak to the young Calishite. The man wrapped around his soaking body. "We should get you back to the guild house."

"Aramil, catch…" The man fell into his mentor's arms.

"Alright, who are you and what did you do to Artemis?"

Artemis Entreri grunted and Aramil accepted his duty of supporting the exhausted man. "You look like you just came out of a storm."

"I got drug into the water."

"What? When did this happen?"

"The shark tipped the boat over enough for me to fall in."

Aramil hugged Artemis close. "A beast like that…you are lucky to be alive." His apprentice made no response. He felt tense to the experienced assassin and the elf began to rub the man's shoulders.

"Aramil, please, I just want to rest."

"How were things in Memnon?" Aramil asked, now beginning to shove his apprentice through the dock district of Calimport.

"Why does it matter?" Artemis muttered, embarrassed at having to be pushed around. It was not the sort of things to do wonders to the reputation.

"Artemis, I somehow doubt that the trip was uneventful."

"I already told you I was attacked by a giant shark. I think that qualifies as eventful."

"Have you met…"

"Aramil! Please, not in public."

The elf sighed, but accepted his apprentice's discomfort. Nevertheless he felt concerned. Artemis was too unwilling to discuss problems when they arose.

"Artemis," he whispered gently.

"What?"

"You need to be careful."

"That's redundant advice."

"I know, but…well, I never expected to actually grow fond of you."

"Do I come across so horribly?"

"Artemis, you are, at first glance, an unfeeling, terrifying, apathetic, monster of a human being."

"And at second glance?" the young man inquired.

"Well, at second glance you are just an apathetic assassin. It is quite the step up. At third glance, however, a person begins to truly peel the rot away."

"Rot?"

Aramil grinned; glad to hear the indignation in Artemis's voice. "Yes, rot. You are covered the most despicable waste this side of the…well, of the very Spine of the World?"

"The where?"

"The Spine of the World!" Aramil cried, drawing several scandalous looks from the crowd, as well as a rather vicious one from Artemis. "Surely, you have had some basic geography?"

"What is the Spine of the World?"

Aramil took a moment to answer. He had told Artemis plenty of stories, but had never directly said anything to give evidence as to where he was really from. "The Spine of the World is a mountain range far to the north. I'll show you on a map when we get back."

"Have you ever been there?"

"Is there anywhere I haven't been?"

"Have you been to the family basement?"

"Sadly, no."

"Then not only have you not been everywhere, but there is a place I have been that you have not."

"You always sound so chipper when you're being cruel."

Artemis's face immediately dropped. "It runs in the family."

Aramil gave Artemis a hug. "Actually, I think it comes with the job. You'll find that your perspective on the world, well, it will get even more permanently warped." The elf kept the rest of his thoughts to himself, content that Artemis was alright now. If he had anything to say about it that would be a permanent statement.

* * *

"How much longer do you expect us to walk without rest?" Jarlaxle asked. He had been surprisingly silent and Entreri liked him more when he was exhausted.

"We walk until we get there," the man responded.

"A very interesting statement when 'there' is a phrase only broadly defined."

"We are going to the Moonwood."

"Yes, a statement roughly equivalent to 'we're going to Anauroch'."

"The Moonwood is a far smaller area than The Great Desert."

"We will not be able to defend ourselves if we are attacked."

"Then we should avoid getting attacked."

"That would be a far easier order if we had horses."

"You can't pull one out of your hat?"

"I may be many things, but wizard is clearly not one of them."

"Well then, we have no horses and you should just deal with it. This is better than walking through the desert."

"Especially if you are a horse," a voice said behind them.

Entreri and Jarlaxle spun around to see a black panther sitting on his haunches and looking smugly at them. Both of them had their weapons out in an instant. The panther yawned and two horses came up the small bluff to stand behind him.

One was a beautiful mare, if you liked pitch black with shadow tail and mane. Her eyes softly glowed red and her approach was completely silent. She stood tall despite not being all that high for a horse. The other horse, while a perfectly fine stallion, paled in comparison to her grandeur.

"Well, are you two going to keep gawking all day like kittens or were you not really in a hurry?"

Entreri lowered his weapons, but Jarlaxle kept his daggers ready to throw. "Sahide?" the assassin inquired.

"How many handsome, talking ,panthers do you know?"

Artemis Entreri was rarely one to let down his guard, but his weapons were sheathed in an instant. "Why are you here?"

"A very good question, indeed," Jarlaxle added as he sheathed his daggers. He was not one to like being left out of a conversation.

Sahide yawned. "Do you need horses or do you need a chat?"

"We need you to answer the question," Jarlaxle replied.

"I am here because I was under the impression that you were in need of horses."

"Let me rephrase that, why would you help us?"

Entreri let out a soft groan and move towards the panther. "Thank you, Sahide, but I fear they will not speed our way as much as you have hoped. We have very little food, and that is half the time of travel."

"Artemis, do not give me reason to believe your senses have dulled. The saddlebags on the horses should have food to get you there. They are exceptional steeds and will require only minimal rest, surely no more than you, even when ridden to the fullest. You could be to the Moonwood within the tenday."

"You still have not answered the initial question," Jarlaxle just about snarled.

Entreri had never heard his drow companion sound so openly suspicious, but Sahide seemed completely unfazed at having a dangerous dark elven mercenary extremely suspicious of him. The panther's gaze kept on Artemis Entreri. "Do iyou/i trust me?"

Jarlaxle expected the man to reply that he didn't trust anyone and fell back a bit when Entreri replied immediately, "Of course." It wasn't carefully thought out and no layers of double meaning were sought. It was an answer that was starkly…honest.

"You are placing our lives in the hands of a talking panther!"

"He's more trustworthy than you or me," Entreri responded resolutely. He then turned his attention to black mare, approaching her carefully.

Her eyes narrowed to slits, and her ears folded back. She bared her teeth, which were pointed like a wolf's fine fangs.

"Lady Akilah, it would be my honor if you would allow me to ride you," Entreri said with a bow. The horse, Akilah, sniffed at him a moment before relaxing. Her coal black eyes scrutinized her would-be rider, who stayed bowed. However, he did glance up and their eyes met. Artemis Entreri was willing to be humbled, but he was not one to be cowed.

It was very clear to Jarlaxle that the two were sending messages to each other, and sizing one another up. Both seemed to like what they were seeing and he wondered at how intelligent Akilah might be. A strange look crossed over Entreri's face then, and he straightened.

"We will serve each other well," the assassin said softly. Akilah nodded.

"Well, dark one?" Sahide pressed, motioning towards the stallion.

"He appears a bit…normal for the feat you have ascribed to him."

Sahide shrugged. "He is only paled by Akilah's might, not by his own abilities, I assure you."

Jarlaxle cocked an eyebrow and moved towards the stallion. Nothing was required for this beast, which looked at him with eyes which were filled with animal intelligence. He was smart for an animal, but an animal nonetheless. "Are we really sure that it's worth it?" he asked his companion.

Entreri said nothing in response, simply mounted Akilah and gave the drow a look which said all that was needed. Jarlaxle could come or he could stay, but if he chose to stay he was on his own.

With a sigh, the drow mounted. "I suppose you realize that this is a pointless venture?"

Sahide chuckled, turning into a smaller cat which leapt upon Akilah, in front of Entreri. "I think you will find it more valuable than you know," he said.

Jarlaxle had a bad feeling about this cat and the venture he was stupid enough to participate in. It was strange to empathize with his companion and Jarlaxle laughed as they sped away.

* * *

AN: Not to sound like a review whore, but please! I see all of these hit and not reviews and it makes me frustrated. It can be something as simple as 'I look forward to the next chapter' or noting what character you really like, and if you have any questions I'll try to answer them. Your reviews really are appreciated.


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